We assembled a wide range of sizes, power, and styles to represent the many types of portable tire inflators on the market. In order to get a fair and impartial sample of portable tire inflators, we selected several brand names we know and trust, as well as a bunch of best-selling off-brand compressors with (usually) lower prices and (often) better ratings. Ultimately, we leaned into our expertise and automotive knowledge to whittle the list down to a manageable 13. Then, we perused the internet to find out which inflators were the most popular, the best sellers, and the highest rated.
How did we pick our contenders? First, we polled the editorial staffs of Car and Driver, Autoweek, and Road & Track for the inflators our experts recommended.